Police: Man fled into Fayette County woods with baby after assaulting mother
A Fayette County man was being held on $500,000 bail after allegedly assaulting a woman and fleeing into the woods with her year-old baby girl.
State police filed several felony charges against Anthony Cronin, 34, of Brownsville, including aggravated assault, kidnapping, burglary, strangulation, unlawful restraint, attempted sexual assault, child endangerment, and concealing the whereabouts of a child and interfering with the custody of a child.
In a release issued Wednesday, state police said they responded to a domestic dispute in progress shortly before 9 p.m. Sunday in Redstone Township.
Police said Cronin had assaulted a 24-year-old woman, then took her 1-year-old baby girl from her and ran into the woods.
Trooper searched for Cronin for more than an hour until he returned to the home.
The mother took the girl to a hospital, where she was found to be OK.
In addition to the felony charges, state police also charged Cronin with violating a protection from abuse order. He was being held in the Fayette County Prison after being unable to post bail.
Cronin’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. July 22 before District Judge Nathan Henning.
Brian C. Rittmeyer is a TribLive reporter covering news in New Kensington, Arnold and Plum. A Pittsburgh native and graduate of Penn State University's Schreyer Honors College, Brian has been with the Trib since December 2000. He can be reached at brittmeyer@triblive.com.
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